Mob sets fire to church compound

Mob sets fire to church compound

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Tension gripped the South
Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang on Tuesday following overnight
attacks against two Catholic and Protestant buildings.

Some 6,000 police and military personnel were deployed in
anticipation of "escalating retaliation for a bomb blast which
damaged the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta," security authorities
said.

"We have raised security alertness to the highest level,
because we don't want to take the risk (of possible unrest),"
deputy chief of provincial police Col. John Lalo said.

On Monday night, hundreds of people set fire to the Catholic
Wisma Kare dormitory, kindergarten and elementary school
buildings. Two motorcycles and a Kijang van parked in the
dormitory compound were also damaged.

Traveling in motorcycles and cars, the mob moved to a nearby
Indonesian Communion of Churches office and threw Molotov
cocktails at the building.

Police and military troops were quickly dispatched to restore
order. Warning shots were fired to quell the crowd.

Deputy chief of Wirabuana Military Command overseeing
Sulawesi, Brig. Gen. Husni Thamrin and deputy police chief Col.
John Lalo appealed to the crowd for calm.

A Hasanuddin University student, identified as Joko, sustained
gunshot wounds when security troops dispersed the mob. He was
rushed to Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital.

Another student, Rusdi, told The Jakarta Post the disturbance
originated from a student rally to condemn the Istiqlal Mosque
attack and push for an investigation into the case.

"It was a spontaneous move to show our solidarity," he said.

The students, from state-run Hasanuddin University, Indonesian
Muslim University and the state Islamic Institute, staged rallies
at their own campuses. They burned tires before taking to the
streets.

South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Mudji Santoso told
Antara on Tuesday that no churches were burned down during the
incident. Police troops were deployed to safeguard 24 buildings,
most of which were houses of worship, across the city, Mudji
said.

At least 20 people were apprehended during the unrest.

The violence is the first reported incident of religious-
related violence following the riots in Ketapang subdistrict in
Jakarta last November. (27/30/amd)